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  HOLY SCRIPTURE, BRETHREN, CRIES OUT TO US, SAYING
  by St. Benedict of Nursia
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Summary: The sermon calls for a deep understanding and practice of
humility as the path to spiritual exaltation.

Topics: "Christian Humility", "Spiritual Discipline"
Scripture References: Genesis 28:12, Psalm 130:1-2, Luke 14:11, James 4:10

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St. Benedict of Nursia preaches on the importance of humility as a means
to exaltation in the eyes of God. He emphasizes the need to avoid pride
and instead embrace a humble mindset, drawing from the example of the
Prophet who acknowledged his own humility before God. St. Benedict uses
the imagery of Jacob's ladder to illustrate the concept that we descend
through self-exaltation but ascend through humility, with our actions in
this life serving as the steps of humility and discipline that lead us
closer to God.

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CONTENT
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Holy Scripture, brethren, cries out to us, saying, "Everyone who exalts
himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted"
(Luke 14:11).

In saying this it shows us that all exaltation is a kind of pride,
against which the Prophet proves himself to be on guard when he says,
"Lord, my heart is not exalted, nor are mine eyes lifted up; neither
have I walked in great matters, nor in wonders above me" (Ps.
130[131]:1) But how has he acted? "Rather have I been of humble mind
than exalting myself; as a weaned child on its mother's breast, so You
solace my soul" (Ps. 130[131]:2).

Hence, brethren, if we wish to reach the very highest point of humility
and to arrive speedily at that heavenly exaltation to which ascent is
made through the humility of this present life, we must by our ascending
actions erect the ladder Jacob saw in his dream, on which Angels
appeared to him descending and ascending.

By that descent and ascent we must surely understand nothing else than
this, that we descend by self-exaltation and ascend by humility. And the
ladder thus set up is our life in the world, which the Lord raises up to
heaven if our heart is humbled. For we call our body and soul the sides
of the ladder, and into these sides our divine vocation has inserted the
different steps of humility and discipline we must climb.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/st-benedict-of-nursia/holy-scripture-brethren-cries-out-to-us-saying/
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